France became a republic in 1789, after a fierce battle called the French revolution. But it had gained its independence in the 9th century already. Ever since the 17th century, France has played a key role in European and world events. Recent French history has been marked by the two World Wars. But the country emerged defiantly from the ruins of both wars: today it is one of the world’s most progressive countries. One of the founders of the European Union, France is still a political leader among European nations.
There are more than 60,500,000 French citizens. Most of them speak French, but French businessmen normally speak fluent English as well. There is a sizeable Basque minority and there are many different ethnic groups, such as Slavic, North African and Indochinese immigrants.
- Population growth rate: 0.5%
- Life expectancy: 79.6 years
- Median age: 38.85 years
- Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 7% and unaffiliated 7%
Useful facts
Flag: three equally-sized, vertical bands of blue at the hoist side, white and red
Currency: euro – EUR - €
Time zone: Beijing is 7 hours ahead of France
Weights and measures: the metric system
